Try
quick and easy pork burgers if you need to get dinner on the table in a
flash. From Asian to jerk to BBQ, these easy pork burgers come together
with little fuss.
Spanish Pork Burgers
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cups thinly sliced Spanish onion
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 pound lean ground pork
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped Spanish green olives, such as Manzanilla
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons Pimenton de la Vera , (see Shopping Tip) or Hungarian paprika
- 1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- saffron, (see Ingredient Note)
- 1/4 cup shredded Manchego or Monterey Jack cheese
- 4 whole-wheat hamburger buns, toasted
- 2 whole jarred Piquillo peppers, (see Shopping Tip) or jarred pimientos, halved lengthwise
Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large skillet
over medium heat. Add onion, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent,
about 10 minutes. Set aside half the onion for topping; finely chop the
other half.
2. Preheat grill to medium.
3. Place the chopped onion in a large bowl; add pork, olives,
garlic, paprika, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon
salt. Gently combine, without over mixing, until evenly incorporated.
Form into 4 equal patties, about 1/2 inch thick.
4. Combine mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice and saffron in a small bowl.
5. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the
burgers, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the
center registers 165 degrees F , 10 to 12 minutes total. Top with cheese and cook until it is melted, about 1 minute more.
6. Assemble the burgers on toasted buns
with the lemon-saffron mayonnaise, some of the reserved onions and a
half a Piquillo (or pimiento) pepper.
Tips:
1. Shopping Tip: Spain is known for its
superb paprika called Pimenton de la Vera, which has a smoky flavor, and
for intensely flavored peppers called Piquillos. Look for these
specialty ingredients in well-stocked supermarkets, gourmet-food shops or online at spanishtable.com or tienda.com.
2. Ingredient Note: Literally the dried
stigma from Crocus sativus, saffron is the world's most expensive spice.
Each crocus produces only 3 stigma, requiring over 75,000 flowers for
each pound of saffron. Fortunately, a little goes a long way. It's used
sparingly to add golden yellow color and flavor to a wide variety of
Middle Eastern, African and European-inspired foods. Find it in the
specialty-herb section of large supermarkets, gourmet-food shops and
tienda.com. Wrapped in foil and placed in a container with a
tight-fitting lid, it will keep in a cool, dry place for several years.
3. Tip: To oil the grill rack, oil a folded
paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use
cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu
and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray.
4. MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate the lemon-saffron mayonnaise (Step 4) for up to 5 days.
Source: bhg
